Can't You Get on the Highway Without ETC?
1 Answers
It is possible to get on the highway without ETC. According to Article 19 of the "Notice on Vigorously Promoting the Development and Application of ETC on Highways" issued by the State Council, vehicles without ETC in 2020 cannot enjoy toll discounts. In the future, only one manual lane will be retained at highway toll stations, and toll fees can only be paid through manual lanes. Additionally, newly installed ETC devices cannot be used on the highway immediately; they must be activated first. During free holiday periods, vehicles can still use the highway. For users who have already installed ETC, passing through ETC lanes will not incur charges. The principle of ETC charging: There will be one or more ETC lanes on the highway. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the vehicle's electronic tag installed on the windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, and using computer networking technology for backend settlement with banks, the purpose of paying toll fees without stopping at highway toll stations is achieved. All of this is based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of installing ETC: Save time: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in line; Green and eco-friendly: Green and low-carbon, vehicles pass through toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions, and minimizing pollution; Reduce wear and tear: Saves costs, reduces the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, and lowers wear and fuel consumption; Improve efficiency: The efficiency of passing through ETC lanes can theoretically increase by 2-3 times or more, making traditional ETC updates faster and more high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council clearly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, the interoperability of transportation cards in key urban clusters will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will be significantly increased." It also set a clear target in the main indicators of comprehensive transportation development during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period: "By 2020, the ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles will reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and the ETC usage rate for passenger vehicles, efforts will be made to promote the use of ETC for trucks in the future. Exploration will also be conducted on the deep integration of the ETC system with vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-road coordination, and other smart transportation development directions, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC applications.
